Register a qualification or awarding institution with KNQA
Kenya National Qualifications Authority · sources read 3 Oct 2026
First register your institution as a qualification awarding body on the KNQA National Qualifications Database portal, then submit each programme with its curriculum and pay. Registering a qualification costs KSh 20,000 and KNQA decides within 90 days.
- Fee
- KSh 20,000Registration of a qualificationKSh 50,000Certificate of qualifications equivalence, Kenyan awarding bodyKSh 100,000Certificate of qualifications equivalence, foreign awarding body
- How long
- KNQA decides within 90 days
- Where
- Online on the KNQA National Qualifications Database portal (nqd.knqa.go.ke). Enquiries: KNQA, NACOSTI Building, Upper Kabete, Nairobi, accreditation@knqa.go.ke
What you need
- Proof of your legal (statutory) mandate to award qualifications
- Approval letter, licence, certificate or report from your regulator or professional body, where applicable
- For each qualification: the curriculum or syllabus of the programme
- Foreign awarding bodies: Certificate of Compliance (Registrar of Companies)
- Foreign qualifications: your written agreement with any partner institution
Steps
- Register your institution as a qualification awarding body on the National Qualifications Database portal (nqd.knqa.go.ke) and upload your documents.
- Once KNQA registers your institution, submit each programme or course for registration with its curriculum, and pay the fee.
- KNQA reviews the application and makes a site visit to the institution, then shares its findings.
- If approved, you get a certificate of registration and the qualification is entered into the national database.
Watch out
- Submit a separate application for each qualification.
- Offering a programme without registering it with KNQA is an offence: a fine of up to KSh 1 million, up to 6 months in jail, or both.
- All documents must be in English.
Who can apply
- Kenyan institutions with a legal mandate to award qualifications, such as universities, national polytechnics and TVET institutions.
- Foreign awarding bodies allowed to award in their home country, incorporated in Kenya or working with a local institution.
- Professional examination bodies, national assessment and examination bodies, and specialised education institutions.
Official sources (5)
- Registration Of Qualifications on NQD knqa.go.ke · read 3 Oct 2026
- Kenya National Qualifications Framework (General) Regulations, 2025 (L.N. 94 of 2025) knqa.go.ke · read 3 Oct 2026
- Kenya National Qualifications Database - Services nqd.knqa.go.ke · read 3 Oct 2026
- Registration Of Qualification Awarding Bodies (QABs) nqd.knqa.go.ke · read 3 Oct 2026
- Registration of Qualifications nqd.knqa.go.ke · read 3 Oct 2026